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Green Bay Packers
National Football League |conference = NFC |division = NFC North |founded = 1919 (joined NFL in 1921) |stadium = Lambeau Field |city = Green Bay, Wisconsin |image_color_uniform = |image_white_uniform = |championships = 13 |championships_years = 1929 • 1930 • 1931 • 1936 1939 • 1944 • 1961 • 1962 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1996 2010 |super_bowls = 4 |super_bowls_years = I • II • XXXI • XLV |conf_champs = 9 |conf_champs_years = 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1965 1966 • 1967 • 1996 • 1997 2010 |div_champs = 13 |div_champs_years = 1936 • 1938 • 1939 • 1944 1967 • 1972 • 1995 • 1996 1997 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 2007 |typen = 2 |type1 = Packers |type2 = Packers }} The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the National Football League (NFL) as part of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the NFC North division. Established in 1919, the Packers have played home games at Lambeau Field since 1957. The Packers are the last vestige of "small town teams" that were once common in the NFL during the 1920s and 1930s. Founded in 1919 by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun, the Packers competed as a semi-professional football team against clubs from around Wisconsin and the Midwest. They joined the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1921, the forerunner to what is known today as the NFL. Today, the Packers are the third-oldest franchise in the NFL, and oldest team-name still in use in the NFL, both by its nickname and by virtue of remaining in its original city. The Green Bay Packers have won 13 league championships (more than any other team in the NFL) including nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowl victories during the seasons of 1966 (Super Bowl I), 1967 (Super Bowl II), 1996 (Super Bowl XXXI), and the most recent, 2010 (Super Bowl XLV). The team has a historic rivalry with the Chicago Bears, whom they have played in over 180 games. The Packers also share a fierce rivalry with the Detroit Lions, who have been rivals since the 1930s, the Minnesota Vikings who also reside in the NFC North along with the Packers, and the Dallas Cowboys who have historically been known as the Packers largest playoff rivals after the Packers defeated them in the famous Ice Bowl. The most significant attribute is that, despite Green Bay being the smallest market among NFL franchises, the Packers are literally owned by its fans, as the team is the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Presently, 112,158 people (representing 4,750,937 shares) can lay claim to a franchise ownership interest. Team history 'Founding' The Green Bay Packers were founded on August 11, 1919 by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given $500 for uniforms and equipment, on the condition that the team be named for its sponsor. In turn, Lambeau and Calhoun called the club "Packers". Today, "Green Bay Packers" is the oldest team-name still in use in the NFL, both by its nickname and by virtue of remaining in its original city. On August 27, 1921, the Packers were granted a franchise in the new national pro football league that had been formed the previous year. Financial troubles plagued the team and the franchise was forfeited within the year, before Lambeau found new financial backers and regained the franchise the next year. These backers, known as the "Hungry Five", formed the Green Bay Football Corporation. 'Membership' |} 'Championships' The Green Bay Packers have won 13 league championships (more than any other team in the NFL) including nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowl victories during the seasons of 1966 (Super Bowl I), 1967 (Super Bowl II), 1996 (Super Bowl XXXI), and the most recent, 2010 (Super Bowl XLV). 'Super Bowl I' Kansas City Chiefs |away_team_score = 10 |home_team = Green Bay Packers |home_team_score = 35 |mvp = Bart Starr (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Packers |type2 = Packers }} :Main article: Super Bowl I During the 1966 season, the NFL and AFL agreed to merge, thus beginning what would become the Super Bowl-era. Behind the leadership of head coach Vince Lombardi, the Packers finished with an NFL-best 12-2 record. In the NFL Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, with the Packers leading 34–27, the Cowboys had the ball on the Packers' two-yard line, threatening to tie the ballgame. But on fourth down, the Packers' Tom Brown intercepted Don Meredith's pass in the end zone to preserve their victory against Dallas. The Packers went on to win Super Bowl I over the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. Max McGee caught seven passes, including a 37-yarder to score the first-ever Super Bowl touchdown. Green Bay broke things open in the second half with three touchdowns. Bart Starr was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdown passes. 'Super Bowl XLV' Pittsburgh Steelers |away_team_score = 25 |home_team = Green Bay Packers |home_team_score = 31 |mvp = Aaron Rodgers (QB) |typen = 2 |type1 = Packers |type2 = Packers }} :Main article: Super Bowl XLV After finishing the regular season with a 10-6 record, the Packers clinched the #6 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Packers would go on the road, first defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, 21-16, then blew out the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons, 48-21, to reach the NFC Championship Game where they played the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, marking only the second playoff meeting between the two storied rivals (the other game being a 33-14 victory for the Bears which sent them to the 1941 NFL Championship Game). The Packers defeated the Bears, 21–14, to advance to Super Bowl XLV. With Cowboys Stadium as the backdrop, the Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XLV to win Green Bay's 13th world championship and fourth Super Bowl. Behind the arm of Aaron Rodgers, scoring opened with a 29-yard touchdown strike to Jordy Nelson. On Pittsburgh's ensuing drive, safety Nick Collins returned a 37-yard interception for a touchdown. Rodgers would throw two more touchdown passes to Greg Jennings, and the defense forced Pittsburgh to go four-and-out on its final drive to win the title, 31-25. Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdown passes. External links General * Green Bay Packers Official Club Homepage * Green Bay Packers at the National Football League Official Homepage * Green Bay Packers at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online Website * Green Bay Packers at the Green Bay Press-Gazette Online Website References * Pro Football Reference.com - Green Bay Packers Franchise Encyclopedia * Wikipedia - Green Bay Packers page * Green Bay Packers logos at Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net Category:Green Bay Packers Category:National Football League teams